Contrast
by KrimzonGuard Bites BaronP
Summary: A young Hunter in search of a good time strays from the Light. In its place he finds only darkness and a sickening truth that changes him forever. He just never expected to find it in a nightclub of all places. One-Shot, Rated M for adult content. Details inside to prevent spoilers.


**A/N: Hi there. This fic was originally inspired by a rather unique remix I heard of 'Hope for the Future'. Check it out on Youtube, 'Hope for the Future(Jaded Mix).**

 **Fic is rated M for strong language, mild sexual content, implied drug use, alcohol use and explicit torture. Don't like? Don't read. If you want to be coddled, go to Tumblr.**

 **That said, please read and review. Also if you spot any major typos (I'm pretty sure there's a double word in here that's not supposed to be there, I forgot to make note of its location during one of my revision reads), please let me know. Much appreciated!**

 **Without further adeu, Destiny is a registered trademark of Bungie/Acitivison. No copyright infringement intended.**

 **Malik, Praxis and Myra and other original characters belong to me.**

* * *

"So why exactly are we doing this again, Malik?" Simon glared at his Guardian, its singular optic narrowing in annoyance at the well tanned _boy_ walking at his side. Ahead of them, a small shuttle was offloading a handful of people- mostly civilians wearing mechanics overalls and the occasional Guardian. The Hunter pushed his way through the small crowd and climbed aboard the craft. It was fairly roomy on the interior, sporting several rows of wide seats and even a few spaces to hang onto the ceiling if the transport was overbooked.

"Because I'm tired of always being in the Tower. Praxis and Myra might like milling about this place all day but the boredom is killing me. We haven't deployed anywhere in days. I heard about this great place from one of Holiday's helpers last night-"

"You mean the one you slept with?"

"Hey she came onto me! But that's beside the point. I figured.. why not hit the town, live a little? Gotta be better than 'death by boredom'." The young hunter retorted, taking his seat toward the back. He ran a gloved hand through his well groomed mohawk, smiling fondly at a rather cute civilian who took her seat toward the front.

"You're literally the worst. I've never heard of a Guardian sleeping with so many people. You give Guardians a bad name. You're lucky Guardians can't catch venereal diseases..." Simon muttered quietly so as to avoid letting the other passengers overhear their 'lover's quarrel'.

"And you give Ghosts a bad name. I've never seen a Ghost take so long to open a door." Malik retorted, arms crossing over his chest as a sly grin parted his lips, revealing straight white teeth.

"Hey I'd like to see _you_ solve centuries old Hive cryptics."

"Okay, fine, how about the next time we break into a Hive ritual chamber, I'll take ten minutes to hack it and you can get shot at repeatedly by Knights and buried in a pile of fifty Thrall. I'm just glad I had enough energy to summon the Golden Gun." Malik looked quite satisfied with himself, only to catch the sound of an angel laughing. It was the girl he'd smiled at before.

Simon rolled his singular eye as Malik stood and sauntered up to her, putting a seductive sway into his hips and lean chest. She eagerly moved over to let him sit and he quickly leaned in to take her hand in greeting, even going as far as to kiss the top of it. Ugh, horndog.

The three or so other Guardians on the shuttle all rolled their eyes as they listened to the young Hunter regale the gullible civvy with tales of danger and heroism. He even claimed to be the one who slew Oryx! Ha, the gull.

* * *

After roughly half an hour, Malik and his newly impressed entourage departed, the Hunter coming away from the encounter with new contact info and an address which he looked forward to visiting later. She was apparently a Mechanic from birth and was.. very good with her hands.

Once Simon had finished chastising the Hunter, he took a moment to take in the sights. The City was completely unlike the Tower. There were just so many _people,_ Guardians too-though they were few and far between. Here, it seemed, they were the minority. All around him people moved, talked and interacted, paying the young gold and brown clad Hunter a second glance- or the ancient Ahamkara bones strapped to his left shoulder. He wondered if any of them even knew what an Ahamkara was.

"So, Simon, where to?"

"Why should I know? You're the one who wanted to run away from the tower." The Ghost chimed back.

"Okay.. well she said the place was somewhere in the south side of downtown... How do we even get there?" Malik peered around at all the signs, trying to understand the complex transit system. They were obviously in a major depot, with shuttles arriving and departing nearly every minute, filled with people, Guardians, and often freight. It astounded him just how many Exo and Awoken there amidst the ranks. It had never really occurred to him until that moment that not all non-humans weren't Guardians.

When a Human and Exo couple sauntered by, holding hands with a little girl on the Exo's shoulders, Malik couldn't help but smile. He realized that that was why he fought.

His thoughts were interrupted when Simon flashed a bright light in his eyes.

"I said are you listening? Sheesh you check out so fast. It's a miracle you don't die more often in the field."

"Relax, you know I'm always laser focused during a fight. So what were you saying?" The young man rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, dodging to the side to avoid a service frame carrying a large crate.

"We have to take the L train to the center of downtown, then hop the S train to the south-western district of downtown." Simon flitted over to a directory, scanned it, memorizing the board's information in a split second.

"Really wish we could've just flown there.. I mean, I have a ship. Why do we have to ride trains?"

"You know the City is a no-fly zone to non critical traffic. Freight and shuttles only. Been that way since some _idiot_ tried to fly up to the Traveler." Simon glared at the Hunter who held his hands up defensively.

"And I haven't drank Everclear since. Get off my back already.. Alright so.. which way to the L train?"

Simon guided the Hunter through the maze-like City as he normally would, though without the usual AR overlays his Helmet would normally have. They found the platform that boarded for the L train and climbed on when it arrived. After another hour or so, with it stopping every so often to let people on or off, some of whom looked at him curiously before going about their ways, they finally arrived at the transfer station. Malik and Simon departed and it was very obvious that not many Guardians came to this part of town.

He was getting lots of looks, especially at his Ghost. When Malik had expected looks of praise or thanks, he'd instead received looks of fear, judgment or doubt. The Hunter subconsciously ordered his Ghost to stow itself for safety and he felt their Light fuse just moments later. From within his mind, Simon guided him toward the S train ramp. It arrived a short while later and he boarded.

The first thing he noticed was the train's quality. It wasn't as clean or well maintained as the one before. The lights were dim or flashing, posters were torn and stained, and graffiti littered the walls. He took a seat nervously, knowing that all eyes were on him.

' _I'm starting to doubt this trip of ours.'_ Simon whispered mentally, not that he needed to. Malik glanced side to side, realizing then how obvious it was when he spoke mentally with his Ghost.

' _I think you're right, but this day's already been a hundred times more interesting than if we'd stayed in the tower. Besides, what's the worst that can happen? If I get shanked, you can just bring me back.'_

The train came to a stop at the next station and a man boarded, choosing to sit across from him, but slightly offset so they had to turn their heads to make eye-contact. He was of stocky build, with short dark hair and a receding hairline. His clothes only added further to his bulk, covered with rips and stains. The man's expression soured considerably as he took in the sights of the young sun-tanned, armor-clad man before him.

An uncomfortable silence permeated the space and Malik was even more aware now how awkward it must've looked to these people to be fully kitted out minus his weapons, as compared to their loose, rustic cotton clothing and leather work boots. Down the way, a mother kept her curious son pulled close to her chest.

The man from before was glaring him down, hard.

"Is there something I can help you with, _sir?"_ Malik said, sounding a bit more defensive than he'd intended.

"Not much love for your kind here. Why are you even here, anyways? Don't you belong in that precious, luxury Tower of yours?"

Malik never would've thought to describe the tower as 'luxurious' but he supposed the man was right. Grounds keepers always made sure the grass and bushes were well trimmed, the tiles polished and the flags new and colorful. It would even be decorated for the seasons and events that came through from time to time. Even the personal quarters that he and the rest of his Fireteam 'lived' in was neat, clean and homey, mostly because Myra was obsessively tidy.

Outside the window he could see the buildings fly by. Even though they were concrete and sturdy, they were still aged from rain and grime as water water damage over the years left behind dark stained streaks. The closer they got to downtown, the more condensed the buildings seemed to become until they were so packed that the sun's light could barely trickle down through the crevices. Some buildings were nothing more than sheet metal shanties and broken down prefabs. There was an unsettling contrast between the tidy, white and silver depot at which his shuttle had landed prior and the grimy, suffocating catacombs of downtown where the buildings reached for the Traveler like glass and steel fingers.

"Actually I spend most of my time out in the field." He said, not entirely sure of himself but it wasn't a lie either. "I spent the last two months on Venus, fighting Fallen and Vex."

The man said nothing in return, only hmphed, scowled and crossed one booted foot over his other leg. For the rest of the ride, the young Guardian sat on edge. A few more stops came and went and each time people would file on, they'd sit anywhere but near him. By the time they'd finally arrived at their stop, Malik was on pins and needles, and more than a little annoyed at his treatment thus far.

However he wasn't going to let something like that rain on his evening, literal rain aside. Storm clouds had settled in around the city, blanketing it in a depressing gray that blotted out the sun's waning light. Late afternoon crawled on into the early evening hours as the young Hunter left the broken down station. He quickly ducked into a public bathroom outside the station, waiting for the only other occupant to leave before locking the door and raising his hand to summon his Ghost.

Simon appeared in a dim flash of light, scowling at the less than pleasant surroundings. "I think I'd rather be in the Hellmouth right now, this place is disgusting.."

Disgusting was an understatement. The bathroom was dim, lit by a single sickly white-green lamp over the stained sinks and shattered mirrors. The bathroom stalls were covered in graffiti and the urinals looked like they hadn't been scrubbed in centuries, the porcelain stained yellow and black with mildew. It absolutely reeked of piss and vomit.

"We'll scrub down when we get back- don't worry about it. Anyways I'm thinking it might be a good idea to change into something a little less.. conspicuous. Nothing says 'I'm a Guardian' like plate armor and bones.."

"Probably the most rational decision you've made all day." Simon deadpanned, quickly getting to work transmatting the Guardian's armor into his inventory. Malik stood there for a moment, wearing little more than the skin tight under armor that hugged his every contour, accentuating his lean chest and toned limbs. Its primary purpose was to give his helmet something to secure to, to form an air-tight seal in toxic or no-atmo environments, but it also doubled as minor protection. The chest, arms, and legs were fitted with thin, flexible plates of plasteel lined with sapphire wire that helped to protect and boost the wearer's performance. It wouldn't stop a knife or bullet, but it'd absorb some of the impact from a hard hitter.

He opted to keep the under armor on, sifting through his inventory's registry via Simon's holographic projections. He quickly chose out a selection of 'civilian' clothes, something distinctly 'him' without being too obnoxious or conspicuous. It consisted of a thick gold-yellow, form fitted sleeveless hoodiecut at sharp geometric angles with black Sun of Osiris motif stitched onto the back. Below that hung loose belts. Underneath that he wore a plain short sleeved black t-shirt over his under armor, helping it blend in better. His pants were fitted as well, with a low groin and intricate sewn seams down their entire length, giving their stonewashed grey-black surface unique details that fit his athletic form nicely. The shoes were black with yellow accents, looking like a hybrid between split toed shoes for free-running and sturdy work boots.

And just for safety, he kept Havoc Pigeon holstered beneath his hoodie and Raze-Lighter's hilt clipped to his thigh with a parachute clip. He hoped he wouldn't need them but it never hurt to have a little insurance.

Someone yanked on the handle to the bathroom door then banged on it. Malik took a deep breath, giving Simon a look that told the little construct it was time to make itself scarce. The Ghost scowled and vanished in a flash of white particles.

When the Hunter opened the door, an Awoken man stumbled passed, shooting the young Hunter a glare before relieving himself at a nearby urinal. Malik didn't stick around to watch, already joining the throngs of people as they made their way to wherever it was they were going. The two traveled in companionable silence for the better part of forty-five minutes before either of them spoke up.

' _So where is this place anyways?_ ' Malik thought to Simon.

' _How would I know? You still haven't told me the name of the place.'_

' _..On second thought, I think we found it.'_ Malik had been strolling down the street, nimbly dodging pedestrians as they trudged by him, their heads down and shoulders slumped. The pair rounded a corner and the young Guardian set eyes upon the neon facade of his destination.

The front was painted black, with a single narrow door leading in. It was guarded by a hulk of a man that Malik was certain would've been a Titan had he been reborn in the Traveler's Light. Instead he was bouncing for some seedy nightclub. What cruel dramatic irony.

Deep pulsing dance music shook the ground and he smiled, feeling every beat and pulse in his chest, like the drums of war calling his name. A large neon sign in the shape of an eclipsed sun cast a bright golden light down onto the intersection, the squarish font reading off the club's name.

' _There it is, the Sunless Cell.'_

'… _..Seriously? What are the chances? Its incredible to me now that you weren't reborn a Sunsinger. I've never seen someone wear so much sun symbolism. I blame the Trials. If I didn't know any better I'd say this was all coordinated.' Simon chided in the young Guardian's head._

' _I know, right? Anyways I'm goin' in.'_

 _'Ohhhhh ho, no you're not. At least not with me. You can keep your loud music and drunken sexual escapades. I want no part of this'_

 _'What? You have to go, what if something happens to me? What if I need a weapon!?'_ Malik's outer expression was completely stoic, but he was subconsciously pouting at the Ghost.

' _Oh please, you're a_ Guardian. You s _hould've thought about_ that _before you dragged me down here. I'll come find you in a few hours after you've had your 'fun'._ And with that, the little Ghost materialized and quickly zipped off into the sky, well beyond the reach of civilians and animals alike, leaving Malik all on his lonesome. If any civilians noticed, they didn't say anything.

The Hunter cocked a wide grin. Finally Mom and Dad were out of the house and he was going to enjoy every.. single.. minute.

He strode up to the front entrance of the club, putting on his fair share of swagger, complete with a puffed chest and confident expression. The bouncer stepped in front of him, eying the young man with a glare.

"Party's invite only. No pass, no go."

"Oh.. I didn't know. My friend Illyana Sharpe told me about this place?" he said, smiling at the memory of his evening with the lovely little lady who'd told him about the place.

"That cute thing? Alright, but behave yourself." Finally the meat shield stepped aside, gesturing a tree trunk of an arm for the Hunter to pass. He bowed his head with a smile and ducked into the thick black curtain hanging in the doorway. A narrow hallway greeted him that quickly turned down to the right and into a steep, narrow stairwell. Two woman stood at the bottom, arms wound 'round each other's waists as their tongues battled for dominance of a heated kiss.

Malik let out a catcall, smiling a toothy grin to the vixens as he passed and they shot him lustful grins in return before going back to their display.

Another set of curtains stood between him and the mind-numbingly loud music, deep heady bass vibrating through his bones and rattling his ears. He parted the curtains and stepped in...

and was met with the most awe-inspiring sight. A couple hundred or so people all moved as one desperate, crazed mass, seemingly enraptured by the music. Their bodies were adorned with ultraviolet reactive paint, glowing a brilliant fiery gold as strobe lights and lasers lit up the hazy space in bright flashy pulses. Panels of the floor beneath them lit up in hypnotic and colorful patterns. The room stunk of sex, smoke, drugs and vomit, an odor that filled the young Hunter's senses to the brim to the point that he feared he might burst.

He knew he'd found where he belonged. All around him people moved and writhed to the music as he slid his way through the crowd. Even the seating areas surrounding the dance floor were packed, people sitting and conversing, or enjoying each other's company in only the ways they could in a dark, cramped nightclub. Exo with Awoken with Humans, men with women, men with men, women with women, and here he was, just a lone Guardian looking for a good time...

His first stop was the bar, eager to wrap his lips around something strong enough to get him drunk. His Light often kept inebriation at bay so only the strongest of alcohols affected him, and even then only for a short time. The bar in the tower only ever served the weak shit, something about not wanting to serve hard liquor to rowdy Titans and mouthy Warlocks. Usually it was the snarky Hunters who' start the fights then bail before the shit hit the fan.

He grinned at the bartender, a handsome gentleman with short dark hair styled up into frosted spiked tips. Piercings adorned his boyish face while a soft smile parted his full lips. Intricate tattoos patterned his bare arms and Malik recognized the writing as pre-Golden Age Arabic, though his understanding of the language was not as sharp as he would've liked.

"Fine evening we're having, no?" Malik drawled as he leaned against the bar.

"Better now that you're here cutie. So what'll you be having?" The man said with an audible effeminate twang, punctuated by a wink. Malik inwardly smiled, glad to know that his uncanny charm was still worked its magic. It was a curse, really. Well, it would have been were he not so frequently inclined to charm his way into many a bed.

"Hardest thing you can sell me." The young Guardian said, shoulders straight and brow raised. He stifled another laugh when the bartender shot him a skeptical glance.

"Trying to impress someone or get yourself killed? Either way I suppose this is the place to do it. We don't do tabs so you're paying up front, glimmer or platinum." He said, taking out a few bottles before mixing a couple amber colored liquids in a whiskey glass with ice. The braided bracelets and chains on his wrists rattled while his arms moved with grace and precision.

Glimmer was a no-go. Simon held onto all of that since it was usually in its raw, programmable form. Platinum coins however, he could do. He'd made a habit of carrying them on his person at all times-they were handy for many, many things.

"That should cover me for the night." He dropped two on the counter then took the glass as the bartender slid it across the bar to him.

With one swig Malik tossed back the amber liquid, uncaring of what was in it or how surprisingly strong it was, like fire down his throat pricking at his insides and starting a blaze in his gut. Not unlike the sensation of channeling the Golden Gun, but still different enough that it gave him the warm sensation he was looking for. The bartender merely looked on in surprise as he slid the glass back to him and walked away smiling, hands stuffed into his hoody pockets.

From there he slid into the crowd, letting the scent of sex and the heady bass work their way into his mind. Before long his body began to move of its own volition in time with the music. Above the crowd, the DJ was keeping himself quite busy on his instruments as he began to mix in a new track. The beat slowly faded from electronic to more tribal, accented by sharp snares and deep growling synths.

 _From out of the darkness, our future will come..._

 _If we leave the past behind, we'll fly beyond the sun.._

The lyrics warped and twisted, droning on in a single note that flowed with the otherworldly melodies in the background. His body moved on its own, in tune with the mass that writhed alongside him. The presence of so many people was almost suffocating and for a moment he was reminded of his times on the Moon beset upon by hordes of Thrall.

 _We'll be together, sharing the load.._

 _Watching in wonder as our lives unfold..._

 _Hope for the future..._

The beat was beginning to build, more notes and layers adding to the complexity, the lights strobing to the beat, reaching a fever pitch until all it once it stopped. The crowd stood in total darkness, their voices one massive cry for more.

The DJ was happy to oblige, bringing it all down with a deafening concussive force worthy of a Fist of Havoc. Malik shuddered, every nerve ending on fire. He wasn't sure if it was the music, the buzz of the alcohol, or the secondary high from simply being in the club but his body felt like it was more alive than it had been in a long time.

Then, two luminous violet eyes peered at him through the haze and he felt them seemingly bore into his own. As if by fate, the crowd parted to reveal an Awoken woman of unreal beauty. Her face was almond shaped with a pair of full, glossy lips. Her eyes were like that of two dying stars flanked by sweeping eyelashes, hair as black as the night falling in wavy locks down her narrow shoulders, partially obscuring one eye. Her clothing, while tight enough to leave little to the imagination, accentuated her curves and placed her face at the centerpiece of his attention. Aetheric energies shifted just beneath the surface of her perfect blue-violet skin.

"Never thought I'd see a Guardian here.." She hummed, lips close enough to his ear when she leaned in that only he could hear it. His eyes darted open from surprise but he quickly regained his cool demeanor.

"And how do you know that?" He said, letting his body grind against hers in unison to the pounding bass that vibrated through them, voice just loud enough to overpower the music.

"It's the way you move, the way you look at people... I've been watching you, from up there." She pointed at a balcony, obscured in darkness but he could make out the soft silhouettes of patrons looking down upon the crowd.

"The way I move? Do tell." He cooed, placing his hands on her broad hips while she draped her arms delicately around his firm shoulders. The Hunter stifled a groan as he felt the heat of her body press against his, fighting to control the otherwise primal urges overwhelming him. It was a losing battle, especially with his senses already being bombarded by the pungent stench of sex and the rhythmic cacophony of drums and synths.

"Look at these people.. they're here because they want to forget.. they're desperate, unfulfilled. Miserable perhaps. But not you.. there's a... _fire_ in your eyes- an energy I've only ever see in someone whose stared down Death and lived to tell the tale. I can tell you've seen and done great things.. Besides, I'm an Awoken. We're more attuned to the presence of Light than Humans or Exo. I felt you the moment you walked in the door. Your Light.. It's something _special..._ " She whispered, his attention hung on every syllable. The way the last part rolled off her tongue sent his mind into delirium.

"You seem to have me all figured out, so what's _your_ story?" He leaned in, letting his sultry middle eastern tones tickle against her ear and she laughed. Her voice was the sound of heaven.

"My mother was Reefborn.. Exiled after she was caught having a relationship with an outsider- strictly forbidden by the Monarchy you see. So we came to Earth and made a new life here when i was a little girl. Not much else to say, I guess. You must be running too I guess, if you wound up in a shithole like this." She let herself be spun so that her back pressed against his chest and his hands traced her body greedily.

"I'd say you've figured out why I'm here, but why are _you_ here?" Malik whispered, teeth nipping ever so gently at her ear.

"I already told you, but I suppose I was here looking for someone like you... I've got a room upstairs, care to join me?"

The glimmer in his eyes was all she needed to see before she took his hand and dragged him through the crowd at a light jog, disregarding the perturbed clubbers left in their wake. Once freed from the massive writhing pile of bodies, they climbed a short flight of stairs along the back wall and sailed down a dark hallway until they found a door. She'd barely opened it before he was upon her, hands tracing the contours of her waist and probing her garments for entry. He slammed the door shut with his foot while she locked it, returning his eagerness with a heated kiss. Their tongues battled for control, breath hot and heavy.

He'd barely noticed when she practically tore his hoody open, lifting up his shirt only to find herself staring down his concealed Havoc Pigeon and under armor. Before he could stop her, she snatched it away and examined the navy blue and neon green frame. He flopped into a seated position on the bed behind him.

"Ah ah ah, you won't be needing this." She teased, watching the Guardian before her reach for the firearm and he just laughed while she set it aside. His hands fumbled with his clothes, discarding the hoodie and shirt while her fingers tugged at the snaps and zippers that sealed the body suit. She must've been eager to taste his skin because no sooner had she pulled it from his shoulders did she kiss and lick at the nape of his neck.

She quickly straddled his waist and his lips found hers once more. He trailed kisses and nips down her neck and finally to the delicate v of her bust while his hands tugged at her jacket. Heat pooled in his lap and he groaned into her bosom as she pressed her hips to his emerging arousal.

She made a noise that told him he wasn't in control and when her fingers found his chin, he smiled and let his mind wander to the thoughts of what was to come next. She placed both hands on his chest, pushing him back against the bed, tossing her jacket and blouse aside until only a black lacy bra remained. His hands traced the contours of her lean stomach, thumbs teasing at the bottom of her bust while she used her hands to comb through her hair.

"Close your eyes." She whispered, leaning in close. He simply smiled and when it was obvious he was hesitating, she narrowed her eyes and grinned wider, "I said.. Close your eyes.."

"Oh surprises.. I like surprises..." He muttered, letting his eyelids drift shut. He felt her weight shift and heard a drawer opening.

A sharp pain suddenly filled his senses, radiating from his chest out until his whole body was on fire then cold as ice. Fight or flight instincts took over and he threw her from him before bolting up from the bed. He tore the empty syringe loose and his legs gave way. His body felt heavy, his mind foggy and clouded, as if the hundreds of years of Death had finally caught up with him. The world spun. Colors blurred and he lost all sense of what was up and down. He stumbled and reached for the discarded sidearm as he tumbled forward, fingers fondling the grip before his head hit the corner of the nightstand and the blackness took him.

With her job done, the Awoken woman took a moment to compose herself, rising from her seated position on the floor. He'd managed to throw her across the room, but she was thankful to be alive. Had he been one of the bulkier class of Guardians, she was sure she would've been thrown through the wall. The door next to her opened and two men stormed in, each dressed in the all black attire of Bouncers.

"I can't believe that actually worked." She huffed with a pant, more to herself than them as she eyed the unconscious form of the half naked Guardian before her.

"Strongest tranquilizer known to man. I'd be amazed if it didn't." Said one of the men.

"I also can't believe he was dumb enough to actually show up. What took you guys so long anyways? I expected you to be waiting in here for me." Growled the woman as she bent down to retrieve her discarded garments. Once dressed, she tugged at them to straighten herself then held out the silenced pistol. "Also he had this on him. Didn't expect him to come armed but I guess I shouldn't be surprised."

"Fight down stairs. Had to break it up. Oh Hakke, good taste. Anyways let's get him out of here before he wakes up. I don't know how long the tranquilizer will work. I doubt this stuff was ever tested on a Guardian before. I'll tell Adrian to meet us at the warehouse."

"Remember, back stairwell. No witnesses. Last thing we need is to be seen hauling away an unconscious Guardian." The woman said with no attempt to hide the distaste in her voice.

"Scrawny punk looks perfectly normal to me but you don't have to tell me twice." One of the men bound the unconscious Guardian before throwing him over his shoulder while the other collected his belongings.

* * *

For Simon, the perfect afternoon was spent in the Archives, sifting through old records and manuscripts. He was eager to learn more about Humanity, the Golden Age, the stoic Exo and the enigmatic Awoken. Contrary to his origins, he also sought to understand the nature of the Light, the Traveler and even other Ghosts like himself.

So many mysteries to be solved and only so many centuries to do it in. He'd just managed to read his way through yet another of the Archive's volumes on Crypto-Archeology, advanced decryptions, and Engram matter when the strangest feeling pulsed through his tiny body.

Malik was in trouble.

He took off as fast as he could in search of Myra and Praxis, leaving behind a startled neophyte in his wake.

* * *

Somewhere in the dark underbelly of Downtown, Malik stirred. The first thing he noticed was that he was uncomfortably cold. Icy air nipped at his bare skin and it was with a grim expression that he realized he was naked. When he tried to move his limbs to rub away the chill, none of them budged. His amber eyes cracked open, tiny pinpricks of white light assaulting them through woven canvas.

He heard movement and he jerked his head to the side, groaning at the pain in his head. It throbbed and he squeezed his eyes shut to block out the pain. His right temple hurt the worst and he vaguely recalled smashing it against something when he blacked out.

Suddenly the bag was torn from his head and he gasped as the harsh light from above burned through his retinas. He shouldn't have been in pain, not with Simon there to help regulate his Light to treat his wounds-..Simon!

The Hunter recalled that Simon had bailed before entering the club and he let out a sigh of relief knowing the Ghost was okay. He diverted his quickly sharpening attention to the stranger now circling him like a rabid Fallen and it was then that he discovered he'd been strapped to a sturdy welded steel chair. A tug against his restraints told him what he already knew: He wasn't going anywhere any time soon.

"How nice of you to finally join us." Spoke a deep voice, one he vaguely recalled. A sinking sensation formed at the pit of his stomach as he began to grasp the gravity of the situation.

"..The man, from the train. Come here often..?" Malik muttered through gritted teeth, trying to put on his usual cocky charm. His head jerked sideways as the man nailed him with a hay-maker of a punch. He spat blood.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that to one of you undead motherfuckers. You're surprised? We've all heard the stories.. You used to be a corpse." The man rolled his fingers, clenching his fist as his knuckles popped. "This is all your fault you know, all of it."

Malik rolled his jaw, feeling it pop before turning back to look at the man before him. "I'm afraid you've caught me at a disadvantage. I don't follow."

"Of course you wouldn't. You're too busy living high and mighty up in that tower of yours while the rest of us down here rot. I know your type. You live to party. You don't care about who you step on on your way to the top. You're all the same." Another sharp hook, this time from the left. Malik felt something hard roll around in his mouth and he grimaced as he spat out a tooth. His tongue subconsciously nursed the bleeding hole where it used to be.

His pride wouldn't let him justify the man with a reasonable response. "So what, you send some cute girl after guys like me, lure em into a trap and beat the hell out of em? If you have such a problem with Guardians, why don't you untie me and we'll see who the real man is. I'll kick your ass right here, right now. I don't even need my clothes to do it."

The man was silent, a wry grin twisting his dark features. The harsh light above cast his face in long sharp shadows. He stood next to a low table lined with various items. Malik immediately recognized them as his belongings. His clothes, knives(three of them in total), his Havoc Pigeon, and most importantly, the hilt to Raze-Lighter. He watched as the stranger picked up the hilt and rolled it between his hands, turning it over only to set it back down, as if confused by its purpose- after all, the blade only deployed when Malik willed it into existence. Such was the way of Willbreaker's Heart. If only the man knew that he was grasping the power of a dead King in his feeble hands.

"No, no…. I think I'll leave you right where you are. Your being here was simply a matter of.. Happy circumstance and I wouldn't want you to slip away so soon. Not when the fun's only just beginning. We're so happy to have you here, really."

Next the man moved on to the knives, picking one up and testing its edge on the leather of his gloves. He slid a finger into one of the loops, twirling it once before flicking it into the air and catching it like it was second nature.

"Good weight. Nice and balanced..." The stranger turned and just before he placed it back on the table, spun on his heel and flung the knife at full speed. Momentum lodged the razor sharp knife several inches deep into the Hunter's right shoulder, well passed the reversed barb on the blunt side. The young Guardian barely managed to stifle a cry of pain, tensing in his restraints.

As Malik expected, it hurt like hell on the way out as the man tore it free and wiped the blood off on the his left shoulder. The blood smeared across the black Sun of Osiris tattooed there while blood poured freely from the shredded wound.

"Aww, Adrian, you started without me? I'm hurt." Came a feminine voice. Malik recognized it as the vixen he'd courted at the club. His stomach churned with rage but his outward expression was calm, if a bit strained from pain. "Still amazed our little sister actually hooked up with a Guardian. A shame too, he's actually kind of cute. She really liked you too, y'know." She emerged from the choking blackness of their surroundings, the light making her blue-violet skin glow, signature Awoken patterns shifting beneath the surface while her violet eyes trace the sun-kissed contours of his naked form.

"Teja, why are you here? I told you I could handle this." The man, Adrian glared at his Awoken companion.

"Oh come now,, we both know why we're here. A little revenge never hurt anyone, except maybe him." The Awoken woman spat, taking the Pigeon in her hand and flicking off the safety. A quick check of the magazine showed that it was loaded and she pointed it at Malik, firing twice- once into each knee.

The Hunter would've been lying if he'd said it didn't hurt like all Hell as he cried out in pain through clenched teeth. Shattered knee caps were never fun and without Simon there to help regulate his Light, the wounds would struggle to heal on their own. It was also a humbling reminder just how much gunshots actually hurt, despite him having been torn to shreds by gunfire, rockets and swords on thousands of occasions in the Crucible. His favorite was headshots. The death was always virtually painless as he'd often never realized it had happened until his Ghost reformed his body moments later. Other times, he had Simon's Light and his own adrenaline to help dull the pain.

Malik let out a pained laugh, tossing his head back as he did so. Adrian's face twisted into an enraged scowl. With one hand he took a hold of the Guardian's chin, pulling his head back before pressing the bloodied knife against his throat. The razor sharp edge cut into his skin, drawing a shallow crimson line as he pressed it there.

"And might I ask what's so funny?" Malik felt the man's breath hot on his ear. It stank of whiskey and rot.

"You are, pal. I don't know what line of bullshit you've been fed to think that torturing a Guardian is somehow going to make your lives better. You'd all be dead if it weren't for us. The Fallen would've taken the city decades ago and murdered everyone without a second thought."

For his arrogance, the Hunter earned another knife to the chest. This time his captor drove it in by hand from behind and twisted. Malik roared in pain through gritted teeth, sucking air in to try and swallow back the pain. The knife remained, blood oozing from the gaps. He panted and gasped, saliva forming frothy strands on his dry lips.

"What makes a spoiled little punk like you so special, mm?" Teja spat, raising a booted foot before smashing it into the Hunter's unprotected groin. By this point his body was starting to go numb from the pain but that didn't dull the sensation of his manhood being crushed. "Why you over someone else? We live down here in poverty, while you 'Guardians' prance around the world- keep us locked up behind these walls, tell us it's for 'our own good'. Rapes, robberies, murders, unemployment, starvation, disease, is this what you Guardians think a good life is?!"

Malik was quiet for a brief time as he regained his composure. He coughed, tasting iron. Crimson dribbled from the corner of his mouth.- the knife had hit a lung and already sharp pain was shooting through every nerve ending in his body. He'd seen some of what the City had to offer. It was a depressing place to live. Animals just waiting for slaughter.

But that was why the Traveler created the Ghosts, to find Guardians and fight back the Darkness so that one day the Last City would become the First City.

His team had faced down the time-shifting Vex, pushed back the clawing hordes of the HIve, scattered the legions of Cabal and repelled attacks from the tenacious Fallen from the City's rotting frontier so frequently that it might as well have been a practiced routine. They'd been to hell and back, aiding in the destruction of Crota. They'd stopped Atheon from erasing Time by defying their fate. They'd shot, punched, stabbed and burned their way through Oryx' Dreadnaught to dethrone the Taken King, all to defend the last vestiges of Humanity and the wounded Traveler.

But never before had the young Hunter been forced to face such horrors right in his own backyard.

"You're jealous, I get that. But maybe that's why Ghosts _choose_ their Guardians, because if everyone had these powers, we'd just use them to kill each other in more and more creative ways than we already do now..."

"What, like your precious Crucible is so different? I've seen the televised fights. Like a bunch of kids with guns playing cops and robbers." Teja growled, pistol-whipping the Hunter. Icing on the cake.

"You really don't get it, do you? Guardians are out there, as we speak, keeping your sorry asses alive. I'm almost insulted that I die every day to defend self centered, fucked-in-the-head pieces of shit like you. You wouldn't last even ten seconds against a Fallen Vandal, or a Hive Acolyte, god forbid a Knight or a Wizard. The Cabal would crush you flat before you even had the chance to scream. The Vex? They'd trap you outside of time and carve you apart piece by piece just to see what made you _tick._ "

A fist slammed into his jaw, then again, and again and again until the Hunter felt his head being jerked back and forth. The blows kept coming for what felt like an eternity until finally a juggernaut of a punch sent him reeling. The chair toppled to one side with him still strapped to it and his head hit the pavement. His vision had gone black at some point during the beating and blood dripped from his broken nose and busted lip. One of his eyes had swelled shut.

Adrian picked the chair back up, panting as he nursed his bleeding knuckles. With an exasperated laugh, he leaned forward, one hand on the Hunter's bleeding shoulder while the other lightly tapped his bruised cheek.

"Come on now, stay with me. You Guardians are supposed to be our 'Greatest Heroes'. Or.. are you really so pathetic without your precious Ghosts?" Adrian mocked, jostling the delirious Hunter just enough to keep him conscious.

The distant sound of metal grinding against metal caught his attention and he was immediately on guard, brandishing his own firearm. "Teja we have company. Everyone, spread out and find them.." Half a dozen men appeared from the shadows and Malik realized with some shame he hadn't seen them until now. Hunters were supposed to be the eyes and ears of the frontier, seeing what couldn't be seen and tracking even the most elusive of prey. He was a mockery of the title.

Six men in total, all armed, split into groups and began combing their surroundings for any sign of the intruder.

Malik saw a shape move behind Adrian, the figure cloaked in darkness and only a thin violet line signaling that there was even anyone there to begin with.

"Hey buddy, right behind you." Came a synthesized baritone voice that immediately filled Malik with joy.

Adrian spun sharply and stared down the metal visage of the Helm of St. 14. A massive gloved fist collided with his face hard enough to send him sprawling to the floor, out cold. The armed thugs all heard the commotion and converged on the intruder, opening fire.

The Titan threw up his arms, conjuring a Ward of Dawn around himself and the wounded Hunter. The bullets bounced harmlessly off the surface and the gunman were thankfully smart enough to stop shooting lest they injure themselves or each other.

"How you doin' there kid?!" The Titan's hulking form shimmered with an overshield while he readied his shotgun, Universal Remote.

"Worry about me later Praxis, behind you!" Malik shouted as a gunman brave(or stupid, he couldn't tell) enough to rush the bubble closed the gap.

Praxis-16 spun on his heel and caught the approaching gunman under the jaw, picking him up and slamming him to the ground, careful not to kill. A swift blow to the head sent him into unconsciousness while the Titan reeled back his other arm and caught another in the chest with a powerful backhand. Universal Remote barked as he fired at the next idiot who charged into his bubble and the man was sent flying from rubber bullets. They wouldn't kill but he'd probably have a broken rib or two. The fourth man hit the ground hard after a well placed suppression grenade robbed him of consciousness.

The last two, angry that their friends had been taken down by a single Guardian, stormed in to double-team the Titan but were stopped dead in their tracks when two gloved hands grabbed their heads and smashed them together. They crumpled to the floor in a groaning, barely conscious heap. A violet clad Warlock with the unmistakable shape of Obsidian Mind stepped over their bodies, hands on her hips. A Voidwalker's Bond shimmered on her left bicep.

"Myra!" The Hunter cried out, happy to see his teammates. Movement to his right got his attention and Malik watched as the Awoken woman Teja's expression grew fearful. She turned to run, apparently not having the sense to do so earlier when all Hell broke loose. "Grab her before she gets away!"

Praxis took off after the woman, his considerable speed easily outpacing her and he grabbed her in a bearhug. She screamed obscenities and struggled against his iron grip, a worthless attempt as the Titan's God-like strength kept her firmly in place. Meanwhile Myra was quick to restrain the six gunmen and their ring leader, Adrian with specialized magnetic riot cuffs. Praxis did the same to Teja, pinning the woman's arms to one of the nearby table's legs.

The balding man was slowly coming to as Myra pulled off her helmet and shook her blond loose, resting the black domed piece of armor under one arm.

"Wait, wait please, don't kill him!" A small feminine voice said as a petite girl appeared at the man's side.

"Illyana? What are you doing here?" The Hunter groaned and he could see her recoil in fear at the sight of his bloodied, naked form.

Myra's eyes then fell on the wounded form of Malik and she immediately began tending to his needs- ripping out the knife still buried in his chest(much to the young man's disapproval as he cried out, ending in a pathetic whimper) and undoing the sturdy cuffs that kept him bound to the chair. The War of Dawn shimmered and dispersed with a dull flash of light.

Illyana broke down into tears. "I'm so sorry, please forgive me!"

"You stupid, ignorant, self-centered _BASTARD_!" Simon appeared over Myra's shoulder, shouting above all else and Malik felt himself overcome with happiness at the sight of his Ghost. The little construct closed the gap, very plainly shining his light into Malik's eyes out of annoyance. "You had me worried, you damn _FOOL_ but I'm….so glad you're alright…." His points shifted down into an imitation of a frown.

"Aww, Simon you do care…!" Malik grunted, rubbing his sore wrists now that his hands were free. Simon shined his light over the Hunter's bruised and bloodied body, getting to work removing the bullets still lodged in his kneecaps and mending the wounds, including internal damage.

"Why did they do this?" Myra said as she gathered Malik's hoody and helped him into it,as the young Guardian had suddenly started shivering uncontrollably- likely because he was coming down off the high of the shock to his system. Simon's aid helped seal his wounds but the remaining blood still seeped through the fabric, leaving dark growing stains.

"I'm so sorry, it's all my fault. When Malik told me he wanted a place to party, I told him about the club I go to sometimes...Adrian bounces there an Teja is a dancer. I should've known better that they'd do something like this... They've always had a dislike for Guardians..I just never expected them to actually go through with it! I took a job working for Holiday at the Tower to help pay the bills, and I got you into this mess- I'm so so sorry, please forgive me." The human girl cried, mouth hidden behind her hands.

Malik rolled his shoulders, trying to work out the chill in his bones. The blood loss hadn't helped. "They blame the Guardians for their situation.. Decided to take out their pent up aggression on me. If I had to hazard a guess, I'd say they think they don't need the Guardians to protect them."

"Don't need Guardians hmm? Allow me to educate them." Myra growled, hands curling into fists as she visibly bristled with barely contained rage.

The Warlock raised her hands and her Ghost appeared, transmatting her gloves so that her hands were bare. She knelt in front of the ring leader Adrian and placed her hands on his face and chest, fingertips making contact with very specific locations. She closed her eyes and the man's eyes went wide, pupils fully dilated.

 _He breathed for the first time in centuries. His mind screamed. His body quaked. His lungs were a painful protest to the fresh air. His skin was like fire and his bones like glass. Coming back from the dead had that effect on people._

… _._

 _He'd never seen Hive before now, only Fallen. Their rotting corpses wreaked of Death and their claws tore at his body, raking long gouges through his skin. The suffocating Dark made healing slow, painful. He gritted his teeth through the agony._

… _.._

 _He'd never been so close to death as he was now, strung out on the end of a Knight's blade as it carved its way through his abdomen. Blood poured from his mouth and he felt himself choking on it, afraid of drowning in his own helmet._

…

 _The Vex closed in as all manners of horrors dove through Time and surrounded their prey. Blinded by the Oracles and half-dead, the Guardians would defy their fate till their last breath._

…

 _The Taken King had come, invaded their system, consumed the Wills of the Lesser Darkness, hunted the Guardians who slew his son. The King of Shapes would have his revenge. But he had challenges along the way. And as he stood in the King's throne room, facing down a god as old as Time, ravenous Taken closing in and clawing at their Light, he feared that Oryx would be his undoing until a Hunter clad in brilliant gold, his cloak embroidered with the shimmering visage of the shining sun, called forth the Golden Gun and pushed back the Darkness with bright Light, Willbreaker reforged as Raze-Lighter at his back while his body was wreathed in living fire._

… _.._

The man screamed, and kept screaming, flailing beneath the Warlock until she removed her hands. He stilled and he seemed to stare through her.

"..What did you just do to him?" Malik muttered, almost feeling sorry for the man as he began to drool.

"I showed him the truth- a little trick I picked up while meditating with Ikora. He just relived every memory I allowed him to see... He now knows first hand what it's like to die over and over again. That ought to change his mind." Myra said, letting her Ghost reequip her gloves.

"Wow Myra, that's dark, even for you." Praxis hummed.

"Aww damn, party's over I guess." Malik immediately recognized the voice as Cayde-6, the Hunter Vanguard. He turned to face the Exo who was flanked by a dozen officers in full suppression gear.

"Cayde, what are you doing here?" The young Hunter frowned.

"When Praxis and Myra told me you were in trouble, I came along for the ride. How do you think we got here so fast? Someone had to approve the shuttle flight. Anyways glad to see you guys took care of things with no casualties- Will make prosecuting them that much easier since they actually need to be alive to stand trial..." The old Exo hunter said as he gut-checked one of the thugs in the stomach to see if he was still alive.

"Wait, prosecution?" Malik croaked out.

"They kidnapped and tortured a Guardian, son. That's high treason in my books."

"But Cayde, that's exactly why they did it in the first place. They feel oppressed and they blame Guardians. Arresting them only proves them right. This could cause a civil war." Malik stared, astonished as several armed and armored officers began picking up the now conscious gunman and carrying them them toward an awaiting prisoner transport outside.

"Malik, there could be a war regardless of whether or not they did what they did here today. If it wasn't you, it would've been someone else and we'd still be putting them behind bars. This just gives us reasons to arrest them and get to the bottom of this before it explodes into a full blown civil war. Zavala's got enough on his plate coordinating the City's defenses. Last thing we need is to fight a war in our own backyards."

"So what's going to happen to me?" Illyana stood still nearby, shoulders slumped, her green eyes sullen and her short dark hair disheveled. An officer very gently lifted her hands and placed magnetized cuffs on them.

"It's not her fault Cayde, please don't punish her." Malik begged. He still had a soft spot for her and he would've been lying if he had said he didn't find her cute when she cried. Something in the back of his mind chastised him and he stowed the thoughts.

"That's not my call, I'm afraid. She's an accessory to the crime, even if she didn't actively play a part in its final execution- but I'll certainly advocate for her innocence during the trial. That said, you and your team should get back to the Tower and rest. You deserve it." Cayde said with a sense of finality that told Malik they were done talking. The Hunter gathered his things and frowned.

Something bad was stirring beneath the surface and Malik was legitimately concerned that he'd be the catalyst for it all, regardless of what Cayde said. The discovery that the City could very well be on the brink of war shook him to his core. He couldn't, no _wouldn't_ kill civilians.

The members of Fireteam Raid Parade stepped out into the street,revealing that Malik's impromptu prison had been an old abandoned warehouse. A crowd had gathered, watching with dark expressions as the nine individuals responsible for the evening's events were loaded onto a transport and flown off to wherever they'd be residing for the foreseeable future. Malik frowned as he watched the transport become a spec against the dark cloudy sky. The evening's rain had come and gone, leaving the City a wet, miserable mess.

All around him people stared, their eyes so devoid of hope and life that it left the young Hunter feeling like a stranger in a strange land. Ahead, another shuttle was prepped for launch and waiting for them to board. City peacekeepers began dispersing the crowd of curious onlookers.

The Guardians took their seats on the craft and it lifted off, Malik staring out at the dark underbelly of the Traveler as it was lit by massive floodlights from beneath. He realized now that it was one giant metaphor- That the City had always been this... bright shiny idea but underneath, a dark cancer festered, threatening to consume it whole. Perhaps the Darkness had already won the war and it was just a matter of time before the last survivors of Humanity tore each other to pieces.

"You gonna be alright?" Simon asked quietly, his star-shaped body nestled into his Guardian's hands. He'd never seen the young Hunter so crestfallen before- He'd always quietly hoped for a wake-up call to snap the brazen man out of his adolescent stupor, but not like this. Now also wasn't the time to chastise the Hunter for his actions, regardless of how much he wanted to.

Malik was silent for a while. Simon watched as his expression grew darker with time, a stark contrast to his usual chipper, cocky demeanor.

Something died in him that night. Simon feared it was his fighting spirit.

"To be honest, I don't know."

* * *

 **A/N: Hope you enjoyed, as always please R &R!**


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